Love Across the Ages
by Kiki1770
Summary: There is so much more to Hyuuga Hinata than 'that wierd girl that faints around Naruto,' Her story is not that simple, nor is her destiny. Naruto will learn what it truely means to carry the title of the Child of Prophecy, and that his destiny is not one of this era, but of one a thousand years old. History repeats itself, as do the fates of Naruto and Hinata. NaruHina, AU Pein Arc
1. Nostalgia

**Hey guys, this is a short NaruHina story that I started quite literally on a whim. I don't know how long it's going to be or when my next update will be. I used to watch Naruto frequently, but now I just read the Manga, and lately I've been sucked back into the fanfiction world.**

** I've read a lot of wonderful stories, and some stories that were good ideas but executed poorly. I'm not perfect at writing, but I'm going to try my hardest to write good quality and entertaining stuff!**

**So this story starts during the Pein arc, and due to the adeptness of my writing style I'm going to jump straight into the heart of the story and skip to the juicy parts. So no worries! I am not going to Re-write ENRITE arcs! Heaven's knows how many frikken times I've read the wave arc! I didn't even like that arc that much in the actual anime! **

**Anywho, the main pairing is NaruHina and the story is a bit AU. Since I started this quite literally on a whim (and excluding the fact that it's VERY similar to another story I'm writing for another fandom that follows almost this exact plot) I have no idea how AU it will be. But it's a wonderful love story and I hope you enjoy it. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, those rights belong solely to Kishimoto, and no copyright was intended from using lines directly from the Anime. **

"NaruHina" Normal talking

'NaruHina' Thinking

**"NaruHina"** Bijuu/ Angry Naruto/ Jutsu (Simple right?)

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Love Across the Ages

Chapter 1: Nostalgia

He was trapped. Uzumaki Naruto was trapped under the heat of the blazing sun, the barren earth below him – which was once the center of the beautiful village of Konohagakure—was all that was left of Pein's attack. Naruto struggled against his binding, long black chakra rods piercing his limbs and stomach. He wasn't going to lie. It hurt like hell. But the pain was no worse than the wrenching ache he felt in his heart for being trapped like a fox caught in snare at the mercy of the very same man who killed his Master, father-figure and dear friend, Jiraiya the toad Sanin.

"I guess I'll be taking you know," Pein's monotone voice pierced Naruto's mind. He growled at the orange hair men but felt utterly useless as the violet sextuplet rings of Pein's eyes transformed, the circles merged together to form pit less black eyes. Naruto felt his soul being tugged from his body, his eyes flickered, threatened to close. His senses left him one by one, first his vision, then the pain, then the feel of the hot air on his back until all that was left was silent breathing of Pein performing his effortless jutsu.

Till he heard the clacking of foots steps rushing, no, running towards him. Pein's Jutsu was interrupted and suddenly Naruto could see again.

"Huh!" He heard a fierce scream and a cloud of dirt and mud exploded before him. Naruto saw a flash of violet, mid-night blue hair and periwinkle jacket of one of his Nakama, Hyuuga Hinata. The dust cleared away to reveal the Hyuuga princess standing in the epicenter of an impressive sized crater. Pein had managed to dodge her attack and stood a good twenty paces away from the destruction zone. "I won't let you hurt Naruto-kun anymore!" She cried fiercely.

"Reinforcement?" Pein scoffed phlegmatically, and then Eyes of God and the eyes of Naruto's nightmares were on one of his precious friends.

"What are you doing out here?" He snapped at the Hyuuga Heiress, his veins filled with a paralyzing fear for the women before him. "Get away quickly! You're no mat-"

"I know," she cut him off. Her voice was soft, but Naruto could hear the steadfast timber of her inner courage. From the ground, all he could see was Hinata's long blue-black hair dancing in the breeze. Her back was straight and her posture was poised for an attack. There was no hesitation in her body. She was resolved. "I'm just…being selfish."

"Tch, what are you talking about?" Naruto demanded. "Don't put yourself in danger like this!" He struggled against his bonds, it was no use. He was trapped, and now Hinata was going to get hurt.

"I'm here because I want to be here. This time…I'm going to be the one to save you Naruto." Hinata said. Naruto's eyes widened impossibly. Hinata continued explaining. "You once made me a promise Naruto-kun that no matter how many times we lived, that we would always protect each other. And that we would always find each other so that when we did, we could be together forever and always." Hinata whispered, a teary haze covered her beautiful lavender eyes.

"I never forgot the first time we found each other Naruto-kun. I-I loved you then and I love you know….so I will protect you. _No matter what._" And then she smiled and Naruto felt his entire body freeze. It wasn't one of this half-hearted smiles, or forced smiles of amusement on his behalf no…Hinata's smile was so much more. She was warm, genuine, and the love in her smile was for him and him alone. IT was like nothing Naruto had ever experienced before.

Hinata dropped into her Juuken pose, and Pein's readied another chakra rod. She gritted her teeth against him and her eyes bulged with power. With sharp "Huh" Hinata swung her foot around in low round house kick and snapped the chakra rod piercing Naruto's arm. Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief, quickly realizing the Hyuuga's plan, he watched her swing her foot around one more time, but her attack was diverted by Pain's Gravitational Jutsu.

Hinata Hyuuga was sent flying across the barren land; her body tumbled like boulder until Hinata managed to find her balance and land on her feet. Blood dripped from her split lip. She jumped to her feet and launched into a run that could put Lee to shame. But before she could reach Naruto her body was mercilessly thrown across the field.

"Hinata!" Naruto cried in distress. He growled and shook against his bindings but his body wouldn't budge. Hinata arose from her crumpled position, much slower this time, her body looked ragged. She brushed away the blood dripping from her lips and narrowed for perceptive eye's on Pain's figure.

"I guess I'll have to use _that_ sooner than I thought." She whispered more to herself. She brought her fists to the side of her body and focused her chakra to the palm of her fist.

Pain narrowed his eyes at the Hyuuga intruder. Though his face didn't betray him, he could tell that the power radiating from the Hyuuga was no ordinary power. Her chakra flared around her fists, taking visible form, and enveloped her body in chakra flames not unlike the Sharingan's Susano attack. "**Kodai Bijutsu: Twin Dragons Fist!"** the purple haired woman cried out and charged with chakra boosted leap.

Pain narrowly dodged the first attack; her fist skimmed her black-red cloud trench coat burning the fabric almost instantly. "What is this Jutsu you use?" Hinata aimed a punch for his midriff, Pain flipped through the air and landed a safe distance away. He had less than a second to dodge Hinata's follow up punch. He drew his chakra rod and swung it like Katana. Hinata parried his blows the arc of her palms. The reverberating attacks sent sharp stings of pain up Pain's arm and he realized that she was attacking hard enough to paralyze his arm.

If this fight continued like this, he would lose use of his arm. Pein channeled his chakra through the chakra rods and raised his weapon high above his head, intending to finish the fight all in one blow.

"HINATA!" Naruto cried and watched the world slow down around as Pein's chakra rod cut through Hinata's barrier of chakra like knife cutting through butter. All Naruto could see was Hinata's face, the face of the woman brave enough to charge into a hopeless battle, one she knew she couldn't win just so she could save Naruto. No one had ever done that for him. No one had ever gone out of their way to protect him before. Sure Kakashi-sensei and Sakura-chan watched his back, but they'd never willingly charged an enemy knowing they could die just to give Naruto a chance to fight back.

The weapon fell upon the Hyuuga heiress; her chakra flames flared into a massive blaze and blinded Naruto's vision. He squint his eyes shut as the heat of the chakra flames scorched hotter than the Sun at the zenith of the day. He heard a loud _CRACK_ and his heart plummeted in his chest. But he had to open his eyes. He had to see Hinata for himself, so he forced himself to blink.

Naruto's jaw dropped. Their stood Hyuuga Hinata, the very girl that had braved herself against her once prick of cousin Neji, who'd refused to give up the fight, who'd declared that her Nindo was the same as Naruto's, who'd fought until her dying breath, smiling at Naruto as she went down. The very same Hyuuga Hinata stood before Naruto; Pein's chakra rod snapped in half between the dancing dragon like flames around her fists.

"Tch…you are troublesome." Pein muttered darkly and threw his rod aside. But Hinata had sprung away from Pein at the sign of an opening.

"Now!" She yelled and shattered three more rods on Naruto. "O-one m-more," she gasped breathlessly. 'No, Hinata, RUN!' Naruto's mind screamed the words he could not bring himself to say, and then it happened. Hinata fell victim to Pein's Gravitational Jutsu and her body was launched fifty feet into the air.

**"NO!"** Naruto cried as he saw Hinata fall into a broken heap. His eye's flare angrily at the Akutski member before him. "**LEAVE HER ALONE! YOU'RE FIGHT IS WITH ME!"**Naruto cried in blinded furry. Pein paused before him.

"She…is interesting." He muttered almost too quietly for Naruto to hear over his grunts of indignant cries. "I cannot allow her to live." Naruto's eyes widened.

"No…no…" he realized that was shaking. There was some small part of Naruto, a tiny minuscule nudging at the back of his mind that screamed that Hinata couldn't get hurt. This was more than just one of his precious people getting hurt. It was something more than that.

"HINATA!"

"HINATA!"

"HINATA!" Naruto screamed until his voice went hoarse and dry. An unknown terror clenched his heart. Something gut deep, and instinct ingrained so deeply in his soul that he could not decipher it if he tried, screamed at him to protect Hyuuga Hinata. He felt emotions like nothing he'd ever felt before, a deep rooted sadness, a love like virgin – unblemished and pure, and sense of nostalgia that gripped his heart with an iron grip.

But then he saw the slow and steady rising and falling over bruised chest and he knew that she was still alive. Hinata seemed to come around too; she struggled and forced herself onto her knees. She took one look at Naruto, revealing those beautiful, enigmatic lavender eyes. They were deep and wise, her eyes looked much too old for her sixteen year old self, and yet that's exactly what they looked like. In her eyes, he saw in untold story, a missing piece that could explain the sudden emotions that gripped Naruto like never before.

And she crawled towards him, painfully and slowly. "No Hinata…go back, please!" Naruto begged. His fear escalated as Pein began walking towards Hinata as well. "Save yourself, damn it!" Naruto cried in panic, and to his surprise he watched her face transform; her eyes softened adoringly and a gentle smile graced her elegant yet bruised and bloodied lips. She crawled till she sat before the last chakra rod the one piercing his hands together, preventing him from using his chakra.

"I kept my promise my love. _Forever and Always…"_ She whispered so softly the breeze seemed to steal away her words.

Then two things happened simultaneously. Hinata's eyes flared gold; molten gold like lava, and barrier of blue and green energy surrounded the pair of them. Then she coughed out blood, it gushed out her like a spring, too much for caution. The last chakra rod disappeared and in its place was a simple ring with a ruby red stone and silver bands. "**Kodai Bijutsu: Memory Seal**" Hinata whispered as Pein tore the chakra rod piercing her out of her chest and kicked the motionless body aside.

Naruto's fist tightened around the ring and massive pillar of dark, malicious chakra roared to life and filled the sky like beacon that could be viewed for hundreds of miles. Naruto's fury had consumed and the seal containing the strongest of the Nine Bijuu snapped.

**I know there are some parts that are confusing, don't worry, there is thrilling back story to go with it! Sorry if the characters seemed OOC. First Chapter is unBETA'd, I apologize for any glaring mistakes. **

**Jutsus:**

**Kodai Bijutsu: Twin Dragons Fist **

Ancient Art: Twin Dragons Fist—very similar to Hinata's Twin Lion Fist, but upgraded to Dragons. When one uses this Jutsu, and high concentration of densely packed chakra physically form around the user's fists. The chakra flames that surround the Jutsu is part of an ancient art of Jutsu-using that has been lost for many centuries and will be explained later on.

**Kodai Bijutsu: Memory Seal**

Kodai Bijutsu: Memory Seal—explaination? It's a secret ;)

**Review, review, review!**

**Kiki1770**


	2. Amnesia

**Wow, thank you guys so much for all the Faves/Follows! They really helped me to finish this chapter faster. Surprisingly, I have the majority of this story planned out. This story WILL go at a really fast pace, and I don't expect more than 10 chapters (though the chaps might get a bit longer). There will be a lot of time skips so please bear with me. Also, this is the fastest I've ever updated any thing, I don't know how long this pace will keep up, but your reviews could really contribute to that so REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**

**So this chapter takes place after Naruto's fight with Pein. Yes I skipped over a major fight, but that's because it is exactly the same as it is in the anime. This story is gap filler for Naruto. The events that take place in this story will fit in pretty cloesly with the timeline of the Canon, so when it's complete, you'll have to assume it goes back to the cannon. But don't worry, I promise you and EPIC story!**

"NaruHina" Normal talking

'NaruHina' Thinking

**"NaruHina"** Bijuu/ Angry talking/ Jutsu (Simple right?)

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Love Across the Ages

Chapter 2: Amnesia

Naruto played with the ruby red ring in his fingers. He was currently resting in the most beautiful place in all of Konoha— the Hokage Mountain—on the fourth's, no, his _father's_ head! Naruto felt a short boyish giggle rush up his throat. Imagine that, the man that he'd called his hero all his life was his father!

Though the circumstance he learned of this was rather undesirable, he didn't regret almost releasing the Kyuubi. In fact, something had been different with the Kyuubi this time. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but it didn't seem like the Kyuubi was trying to break free; more like he was reacting to Naruto's anger. Like he was angry _for _Naruto. Although he couldn't recall why he'd been so angry in the first place, the last thing Naruto remembered was being trapped by Pein—Nagato's chakra rods and thinking he was going to die. When he came through, he had already defeated Yahiko' body and went in search of Pe-Nagato.

He tossed the ring high into the air and skillfully plucked it from the sky. Naruto's mind was on the promise he made Nagato. He promised in the name of his Godfather, in the name of his title as the Child of Prophecy that he would bring true peace to this world. Naruto grinned boyishly and curled his fist around the ring, once an Uzumaki made a promise he never went back on his word Dattebayo!

Naruto jumped to his feet and stretched, suddenly feeling energized and refreshed; he took a deep breath and took a running start. He grinned as he leaped off the Fourth's head and his body was airborne for fifteen seconds of pure freedom and throbbing adrenaline. He shouted in glee and landed on a rooftop, channeling chakra to his feet, he pushed off and jumped from building to building just as he had as a kid.

It had only been a month since Konoha had been nearly destroyed by Nagato's attack, but the village was already well on its way to being built back to her former glory. Even the Hokage seemed to have woken from her chakra exhaust induced coma. That's where he was heading now. Tsunade-baachan was gonna make her rounds today, heal up the villagers who experienced more heavy wounds. Kakashi-sensei and Shizune-neechan were currently organizing the Ninja so that Tsunade-baachan could do her medical ninjutsu thingie.

Since the hospital had been destroyed in the attack, the medic nin currently used green tents to treat their patients. The long lines of tents lied on one of Naruto's favorite training grounds that had been spared by the attack.

He bounded into the biggest one. "TSUNADE-BAACHAN!" He screamed enthusiastically. Naruto was greeted with a hard flick to the forehead. "_Itae!_ That hurt dattebayo! I just wanted see how you were doing Baa-chan." He whined and rubbed his forehead. But even Naruto couldn't stay mad when he saw one of his favorite people, standing tall and proud healthy again like they hadn't been at death's door.

Tsunade was young again, and although she had bags under her eyes, and she sagged a little, Naruto could tell she was feeling much better. Plus it helped that she was smiling amusedly and not looking like she was about to kill him for calling her Baa-chan.

"I missed you too, you lousy brat!" She grinned warmly. "I hear you're something of hero around here." She poked his ribs. Naruto blushed and held his sides bashfully.

"Aww, Baa-chan, your making me blush!"

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Just don't let it go to your head, _Gaki_" She pulled out from her temporary desk and threw her jade green Kimono jacket around her shoulders. Naruto trampled after her unthinkingly, he needed to let her know that he knew who his parents were.

Tsunade seemed content enough to walk alongside a quiet Naruto, she could tell he was struggling to say something, so she just waited for Naruto to broach the subject. She had a lot of patients to cover today. As they walked past the forest green tents, Tsunade noticed a lot of grateful smiles, and pleasant stares directed at Naruto, the _gaki_ didn't notice obviously. The Hokage rolled her eyes, the brat was finally getting the acknowledgement he deserved and he didn't even notice. Naruto was…unpredictable. She chuckled quietly to herself.

"Tsunade-sama…"Naruto began, sending alarm bells ringing in Tsunade's mind. Naruto was NEVER formal with her. She paused to watch Naruto's mouth drop and close like a gapping fish, and tick began to form on her forehead. Noticing the sudden spike in her chakra, Naruto quickly spit it out. "I know who my parents are."

This time Tsunade's jaw dropped. "I know who they are…why they did it, and why the Sandaime never told me. I get Baa-chan, really I do. I was brat that would have bragged about it to the world. I just don't get why you never told me. Not even after I turned sixteen." Naruto frowned, and turned away as familiar ache began to ebb his heart.

"I spent sixteen years thinking I was an orphan and that my parents abandoned me. I spent sixteen years fighting for the people precious to me now….it would have been nice knowing that my parents wanted me at least." Naruto whispered. He wasn't angry at Tsunade, really he wasn't. He was just…disappointed.

"Naruto…" Tsunade muttered, using a soft voice that Naruto had only heard once or twice before. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I wanted to, really I did. But you have to understand, with Akatsuki after you, I couldn't risk revealing your heritage without risking Iwa or Kumo sending assassins after you."

"But I could have kic-"

"No, you couldn't." Tsunade cut him off sharply. "You weren't strong enough. Not yet. I kept your heritage from you for the same reason the Sandaime did, to protect you from your parent's enemies. I'm sorry I hurt you gaki, but I did make sure you weren't alone anymore, didn't I?" Tsunade smiled softly. She watched a range of emotions flicker across Naruto's face, anger, remorse, confusion, and finally acceptance. Naruto smiled back at her.

"Thanks Tsunade-Baachan." Naruto engulfed the Hokage in a strong, bone crushing hug, lifting Tsunade off the ground without realizing.

"Ack! Put me down you brat! This is unbecoming of a Hokage!" Tsunade snapped playfully as Naruto put her down with a large cheeky grin. Tsunade laughed at his expression and ruffled his unkempt sunny blond hair. A trait he got from his father. "Now go piss off you brat. I've got work to do." Tsunade rolled her eyes.

Naruto grinned, crossed his arms behind his head, and jovially strolled away. He visited a few patients, people he knew from the academy, or shop owners who'd been nice to him. Much to his dismay, Old man Tenuchi was among the patients, sporting a broken arm, meaning….no ramen! Naruto enjoyed visiting him anyway, blushing whenever Tenuchi brought up the fact that he was "currently being visited by Konoha's hero."

"Haha, thanks old man, I'll be sure to visit you again soon," Naruto chuckled, whistling as he left the ramen stand owner's tent.

"Naruto!" Someone called, Naruto spun around and waved at his pink haired team mate. Sakura did not look happy, she marched towards him furiously.

"Hey Sakura-ch-"

_Slap!_ Naruto held his throbbing cheek and stared at Sakura in disbelief. She was fuming, her sea green eyes red with anger. Naruto took a step back in fear. This wasn't her usual 'beating up Naruto' anger, this was her 'I'm going to kill you **Shannaro!**' anger.

"You. You… you insensitive pig!" She screeched. "You save Konoha ONCE and you think you're too great to visit your friends? The friends that fought tooth and nail to buy time for YOU to get here! **YOU BAKA!**" Sakura cried and punched his shoulder.

"Ouch, Sakura-chan, what are you talking about? I've been seeing you, Shikamaru, Choji, Ino, Kakashi-sensei, Neji, Tenten, and even Lee every day for the past week and half!" Naruto cried in shock. Sakura clenched her fist and gritted her teeth.

"I'm talking about Hinata you _aho_!" She snapped.

"Hinata? What happened to Hinata?" Naruto asked. Sakura wanted to punch some sense into the blonde haired Jinchuriki, when she realized that he honestly had no clue what was going on.

"Y-you mean you don't know? You don't remember?" Sakura bit her lip. Naruto shook his head, now he was genuinely concerned for the Hyuuga heiress.

"Did something happen to Hinata?"

"Well err…" Sakura hesitated. How could she forget that Naruto tended forget things before he went into Kyuubi mode? How was she supposed to tell him that Hinata Hyuuga had jumped into the battle, managed to land a heavy strike on Pein, and had nearly been killed freeing Naruto from his entrapment?

As Sakura was debating what to tell her baka-team mate, a massive amount of killer intent arose from the ninja standing behind them. Kiba and Shino spotted Naruto and Sakura in the medical area after visiting Hinata, the moment they spotted _Naruto_ they couldn't help but feel murderous. Shino was the calmer of the two, but Kiba charged right in and punched the Hero of Leaf as hard as he could. Naruto didn't have a chance to respond and was sent flying across the medical area, into the forest and through at least three trees.

"Kiba!" Sakura exclaimed, and watched Naruto groan and pull his now aching limbs out of the tree.

"Don't stop me, Sakura. That dumbass really did it this time!" Kiba growled and sprinted after Naruto. Kiba was furious. Hinata had nearly given up her life for that Baka, and he didn't even have the decency to visit her! She was in a fucking coma for Kami's sake.

"K-kiba, what the hell?" Naruto groaned, he felt another blow to his gut. Naruto keeled over in surprise, and chocked when he felt Kiba's elbow come down on his back. Naruto gasped and fell face first.

"I should kill you for the way you treat her, Naruto." Kiba growled harshly. Naruto rolled over on his back and felt Kiba step on his neck, cutting off his air. "She nearly died trying to save you from Pein's chakra restraint thingie, and you don't even have the fucking decency to visit her. You owe her your life you ass!" Kiba hissed.

"W-what—" Naruto gagged. "c-can't b-b-breathe." The Inu-nin glared at Naruto and raised his hands to form a jutsu when he was forcibly pulled back by Shino and Sakura.

"Stop it Kiba," Sakura snapped at the wild Inuzuka. Kiba's face turned an angry shade of red to match the painted triangles on his face. He growled and struggled against Shino as Sakura helped Naruto to his feet, and pounded his back as he struggled to catch his breath.

"What the hell man?" Naruto croaked weakly. He held his stomach painfully. Ugh, that was definitely going to leave a bruise. His head also pounded from the first punch, Kiba managed to punch the side of his face. He felt like his brain was rattled. Naruto frowned.

Sakura stepped in between the two. "Kiba, he doesn't remember what Hinata did." She explained calmly. Kiba's eyes flared dangerously.

"How. Does. He. Not. Remember?" He spat.

"When Naruto goes into Kyuubi mode, he forgets the events that lead up to it." Sakura explained. Kiba's eyes flickered to Naruto's genuinely confused face and then back to Sakura. He let out an exhausted huff and pulled out of Shino's grip.

"Damn it Naruto, now I don't even have a reason to kill you." Kiba mumbled coolly. His temper had cooled but he was still pretty ticked off at Naruto.

"Can someone please tell me what's goin on now?" Naruto cried. He was getting punched left and right and two of his closest friends tried to kill him in the last three minutes. All Naruto got was that Hinata was somehow involved in all this. Sakura exchanged a look with both Kiba and Shino. All eyes turned to Shino.

"_Naruhodo_, it would appear that when sensitive explanations should arise they always fall to the one that is never heard." Shino sulked, but turned to face Naruto. "When you were trapped under Pein's chakra rods, Hinata jumped in so she could save you." Naruto's jaw dropped.

"Why would she do that? She knows she stands no chance against him!" Naruto cried in disbelief. Shino sighed and adjusted his shades.

"_Mochiron_, Hinata-san knew this when she engaged him in battle. Her intent was not to fight Pein but to destroy the chakra rods. While I have not seen the battle myself, several witness told me that she used a powerful Jutsu to strike a blow to Pein and nearly paralyzed his right arm."

"_Sugee_!" Naruto exclaimed. "How powerful is Hinata?" He bubbled with excitement. Hinata actually managed to land a blow on Pein! This was phenomenal to Naruto, he had to go find her and ask her to train with him. He grinned as the plan slowly started forming in his head. He didn't notice Kiba frowning at him.

"Not powerful enough. She managed to free you, but she took a ton of blows from Pein. She's been in a coma for the past month." Kiba answered.

"WHAT?" Naruto exploded in shock. Kiba and Shino sighed in unison.

"Naruto…"Sakura hesitated. "Pein's chakra rods managed to pierce Hinata-chan's chest and…he did so right in front of you. It's why you nearly released the Kyuubi."

Naruto stumbled backwards into the trunk of large tree, and sank down before it. "I-I don't understand…" Why would Hinata do so much for him? No one had ever gone out of their way for Naruto before, what made her so different? And oh Kami! She's in a coma because she tried to help him! Sakura and Kiba were right, he was an ass. He should have remembered, and he should have gone to see her earlier. But…it just didn't make sense. Why would she risk her life for him?

Sakura crouched down beside Naruto and sympathetically held his shoulder. "She said something to you while you were battling Pein, Naruto. I was too far away to hear anything but it seemed like what she said really affected you. When you thought Pein had killed her, your anger was powerful enough for you to unleash four tails."

"W-what did she say?" Naruto whispered. Sakura shook her head and Naruto's mind began to spin. It was that feeling again, that niggling one in the back of his mind. Something told him he needed to see Hinata. Right now! (Hmm, talk about déjà vu.) Naruto jumped to his feet without realizing it, startling Sakura, Shino and Kiba. "Shino, Kiba, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I forgot what Hinata did for me. But….I need to see her now."

# # # #  
It wasn't easy for Naruto to convince Kiba and Shino to visit Hinata. They were like over-protective fathers and Naruto was the boyfriend asking for the father's permission….okay, weird analogy, moving on! The active members of Team 8 were reluctant to comply with Naruto's request – they were still pretty damn pissed—but it's what Hinata would have wanted. Plus Sakura had a theory that if Naruto saw Hinata, he might remember what she said to him on the battlefield.

Neither Shino nor Kiba could deny they were curious about what the Hyuuga heiress could say to cause Naruto so much rage for her near death. They knew there was something more than a simple confession going on here. Firstly, Hinata managed to land a weird jutsu that nearly paralyzed Pein's arm—according to Katsuya-sama and Ko-san who were the only two besides Sakura to witness the battle—and the Hinata they knew did not possess such a powerful jutsu. Hinata was no doubt strong, Kiba and Shino knew that better than anyone, but she wasn't on Pein's level yet. It looked like Hinata had been holding out on them.

The short walk from tree that Naruto had nearly been beat into to Hinata's tent was a short one, yet Naruto managed to fill it with a million and one questions. He couldn't help it. He'd never noticed the heiress till that battle with Neji in the Chunin exams, and even after that she'd always gotten sick and passed out around him. He knew next to nothing about Hinata Hyuuga—other than that they shared the same Nindo—and yet Hinata had risked her life for him. That's where Naruto's thoughts came to a halt. _It just didn't make any sense!_ Why would she risk _her_ life for _him? _

"Naruto SHUT UP!" Kiba screamed at the incessant blond. Shino made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a covered up chuckle. Kiba glared. "What's the matter with you?"

Shino cracked a grin. "It is highly amusing to see the one who never ceases his unremitting prattle to be the one to lose his temper at another one of his kind." To this Kiba scowled widely, and Naruto to looked dumbfound.

"Don't put me on that Dobe's level Shino!" The Inuzuka snapped at the Aburame. Shino smirked smugly; this was payback for his teammates always forgetting his presence! Sakura on the other hand rubbed her temples painstakingly.

"Ugh I can't handle anymore idiot boys bickering at each other. If you can't control yourself around Hinata I will-"

**_BOOM!_**The loud expression startled the four shinobi. It was only due to their training at ridiculously high velocities that they were able to make out a blonde haired woman in a green obi fly out of a medical tent and create a huge crater in the ground.

"Tsunade-sama!" Sakura cried and tried to run to her sensei's side. Naruto, Kiba and Shino stood in shock as the most powerful ninja in their village coughed out blood and shakily rose from the crater. She looked confused, but above all she was angry. Before Sakura could rush to the Hokage's side a mid-night blue-black streak whizzed at blinding fast speeds and landed atop of the Hokage. The girl raised a fist high and attempted to put a fist through the Hokage's skull. The Godaime managed to catch the fist but she grunted against the strain of holding the girl's blue and green chakra-flaring punch.

"Who are you!" the girl demanded in a tone that did not match her soft spoken voice. With a startle, the four shinobi present realized that Hinata Hyuuga was attacking the Hokage…and she was overwhelming her! "Who are you and where have you brought me?"

"Hinata what are you doing?" Kiba cried out in shock. Hinata's head whipped in the direction of Kiba's voice, her familiar lavender eyes glazed over him and to Naruto.

"Hinata…" Naruto mumbled in shock. Hinata's eyes widened at the sight of him.

"N-naruto…" she whispered back and unconsciously released the strength in her punch. Tsunade wasted no time in exploiting the young kunoichi's distraction and thrust a chakra full palm in her stomach. Hinata gasped and flew back, landing in an unconscious heap. Tsunade spit out blood, rose to her feet, and dusted off her obi.

"That was troublesome." Tsunade finally said. In a few tents over, a pineapple headed ninja sneezed. Tsunade continued to take stock her injuries, ignoring the gaping ninja standing beside her. Until Sakura's patience ran out that is.

"Tsunade-sama what was that?" Sakura finally snapped. "Why did Hinata-chan attack you?" Tsunade smoothed down her blond pig tails and turned to Sakura.

"Ah Sakura, I was beginning to think you were shrinking your duties." Tsunade grinned as though she hadn't just been attack by her underling. Sakura gapped at her. Tsunade scanned the four with a worried look. "Shouldn't you four be somewhere?"

Shino was the first to recover from the shock. "Excuse me for saying so Godaime-sama, but you have not answered Sakura-san's question. Why did our teammate attack you? Why have knocked her out."

"Oh that?" Tsunade nonchalantly pointed with her thumb. "It was nothing." Shino, Kiba, and Naruto sweat dropped.

"HOW CAN THAT BE NOTHING?" Sakura exploded without meaning too.

"Alright, alright, calm down my kawai-disciple-chan." Tsunade muttered noncommittally, but than her expression became more severe. "It would appear that Hinata had awoken from her coma with no former recollection of her life."

A pregnant pause followed the Hokage's revelation. Crickets chirped, cicadas rattled, birds sang and the bee's buzzed with life around them, but the four ninja remained still as death.

"WHAT?"

"Are you serious?"

"How is that possible?"

"Is Hinata-chan okay?" All four burst out at once. A tick of annoyance formed on the Hokage's head as the four youngster rained down a barrage of questions she did not yet have the answers to.

"SHUT UP GAKI'S!" Tsunade shouted. When they went silent, she took a deep breath to regain her composure and began to explain. "As you know, I have been indisposed this past month and have not been able to make any medical rounds. Hinata's case was one that I could have resolved much earlier had I not been out of commission. I was able to bring her out of her coma and repair her mind. But it would appear that her memories have been tampered with." The Hokage explained with diplomatic patience.

"But she recognized Naruto." Kiba pointed out. For some reason this made Naruto blush.

"It also appeared that Hinata tried to attack you Hokage-sama." Shino added…again! Because no one would ever listen to him the first time!

"And she was beating you Tsunade-sama!" Sakura interjected. That last remark made the Hokage scowl.

"She took me by surprise with that strange Jutsu of hers. Yes it was powerful enough to make me falter, but I was _not_ being beat!" Tsunade snapped at her young apprentice. Then she sighed and wondered why the medical profession always had to be so full complications. "Shino, Kiba go retrieve Yamanaka Ino and Nara Shikamaru if they are not occupied. Sakura, Naruto, go find Hyuuga-sama or Hyuuga Neji."

"Hai!" The exclaimed, although they were still baffled with the new turn of events, orders were orders; they took off in their separate paths to trace the aforementioned ninjas.

As Sakura and Naruto took off in the direction of the Hyuuga compound, a strong gale brushed against them. Its scent was sweet but exotic. The Village was bustling with all sorts of new improvements, even the winds of Konoha were changing with it. Naruto had a strange sense of foreboding, that nothing would ever be the same after today.

* * *

**Okay, so this chapter was a bit of a filler. The story will pick up monumentously in the next chapter! Expect a ton of romance, an adventurous past, and obviously EPIC fights!**

**Japanese**

**Itae- ouch!**

**Baka- idiot or stupid**

**Gaki- brat**

**Aho- idiot**

**Naruhodo- I see how it is, or just I see**

**Mochiron- of course**

**Sugee- wow; awesome, cool!**

**Kiki1770**

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